BizBeat: Five downtown tenants losing leases

Former JC Penney’s building may be in line for new owner, remodeling

Josh Betts receives a hair cut and beard trimming from Ameir Smith, a barber at Backstage Barbers at 210 High
St. in downtown Jefferson City. The barbershop and other businesses in the building were recently informed by their landlord that their leases would not continue after the end of this month.
Photo by Julie Smith.

The retail building at 210 E. High St. that anchored the downtown Jefferson City shopping district several decades ago is about to lose the last of its shops.

Hawthorn Bank, which manages the trust that owns the building, has told the five tenants in the building that their leases will expire at the end of the month.

Dan Renfrow, Hawthorn’s senior trust officer, said the bank doesn’t yet have a purchaser for the property. But he said it is in talks with an interested party who might want to remodel the building and would want it vacant.

The tenants, meanwhile, are scrambling to find new homes.

Jeff Backus, owner of One Stop Office Supplies, said he “has a few ideas” about where to move to, but hasn’t finalized anything yet. Since he uses the location as storage, not a storefront, it isn’t affecting him as much as the other tenants.

Backus accepts overnight deliveries from his suppliers at the location, then delivers them to his customers at their offices.

Ellen Nyatanga, owner of Ellen’s Bridal & Alterations, said she’ll be doing her sewing at home until she can find a new location.

Backstage Barbers owner Katherine Wakefield is angry that she was only given six weeks to move. That’s not enough time to find a new location, which she estimates would cost $4,000.

“My eight years in business may have to come to an end. And that’s sad,” she said.

Still, she’s hopeful that she can find a new location and stay in business.

The other tenants are Capital Tattoo Co., which didn’t return a call from the News Tribune, and The Cutting Room.

Hawthorn took over the trust after owner David L. Bryan died in March 2013.